Signs



Nov. 1.8, 1969 R, s, FRE-MONT 3,478,455

SIGNS Filed May 24, 1967 United States Patent() U.S. Cl. 40-132 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A universal sign for indicating the exit, entrance,'or the like, which includes means at each of the opposite ends of the front of the sign which serve as directional indicators and which are movable into viewing and nonviewing position.

Background of the invention and objects Exit and entrance signs are used to indicate theI entrance to or exit from the premises and said signs are placed at certain designated places, for example, along the wall adjacent an exit or entrance or directly over the door. In such instances by reason of the different arrangements in which the exit or entrance signs are positioned various directional arrows have to be used, which necessitates the construction of such signs to be specially designed and built with the proper directional arrows. Either such signs must be custom built or else a large number of them must be stocked in inventory to indicate the various directions which may be necessary. With this invention this is all eliminated as a single universal sign is provided with slidable means, each of which has a directional arrow, with the slidable means movable so that the directional arrow is either in viewmg or non-v1ew1ng position to indicate the desired direction. The single universal sign may at the time and place of installation have the directional indicating members positioned to indicate the desired directional position, This eliminates the expense of custom building such signs and of maintaining a large inventory of signs with various directional indications.

An object of this invention is to provide a sign which may be universally used and which may be constructed at a minimum cost.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

Brief description ofthe drawings In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the sign forming the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view taken on lines 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view taken on lines 4-4 of FIGURE 2, with the housing omitted;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary exploded view of the parts, showing particularly the slidable directional indicator;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the clip, showing its attachment to the front frame and its supporting the sign panel;

FIGURE 7 is a front view showing the sign with one of the directional indicators in a directional indicating position, and

FIGURE 8 is `a View similar to FIGURE 7 but with the opposite directional indicator in directional indicating position.

Description of the preferred embodiment The sign unit generally indicated at 10 includes a hous- 3,478,455 Patented Nov. 1.8, 1969 ing generally indicated at 11 which has a frame housing 12 which forms the body of the housing, having a top 13, a spaced bottom 14 connected by spaced side members 15, all of which are preferably formed of metal. As best seen in FIGURE 2, the top 13 and bottom 14 at the front have inwardly directed front ilanges 16 and said top and bottom have similar inwardly directed flanges 18 at the rear. These flanges terminate in horizontal inwardly extending lips 20 and 21 respectively. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the side members are similarly constructed, having front flanges 16', rear anges 18', each with lips and 21. The frame housing 12 is open at the front and rear. The front opening laccommodates the sign panel and a panel frame in which the sign panel lits, and the rear opening accommodates the back plate. v

As best seen in FIGURE 2, there is centrally secured to the inside of the frame housing 12 along the top and bottom a generally U-shaped member indicated at 22, having spaced parallel sides 24 which are provided with outwardly extending lips 26. As best seen in FIGURE 3, similar U-shaped members are secured to the inside of eachof the sides 15 of the frame housing and the similar parts are indicated by the same numbers primed.

Secured to the bottom U-shaped member 22 is an inverted channel-shaped member 28 which supports a plurality of spaced light sockets 30 in which are contained light bulbs 32. The sockets 30 are secured to the channel member by strips 34 which space the bottom of the sockets from the top of the channel member 28. The wires, not shown, extend from the socket into the U-shaped member 22 and through an opening in the back plate outwardly, with the usual plug for insertion in an electrical outlet.

The rear end of the frame housing 12 supports a .back plate 36. As best seen in FIGURE 3, the back plate 36 has laterally extending pins 38 at the upper end which engage the vertical rear slideways 40 formed between the lips 26 and the lips 21. The front of the frame housing has similar vertical front slideways 42.

The front of the housing is adapted to receive a sign panel 44 and a panel frame generally indicated at 46 which surrounds the panel and in which the sign panel is secured. The p-anel frame is formed preferably of metal. The panel frame comprises a pair of spaced front end walls 48 joined by connecting top and bottom front walls 50. All of the front walls have their outer ends turned inwardly to form top and bottom flanges 52 and end flanges 54 respectively. An enlarged opening 56 is provided in the panel frame so that the sign panel 44, made of glass or plastic, is visible therethrough.

The -front end walls 48 of the panel frame each have .a rectangular-shaped vertically extending opening 58.

A slidable directional indicator member generally indicated by the numeral and formed preferably of metal is supported to slide vertically relative to the opening 58. The directional indicator member 60, shown in perspective in FIGURE 5, comprises a strip having a front wall 62 and a rearwardly turned lip or flange 64. The front wall 62 is provided with a pair of spacedtransversely extending slots 66 and a cutout portion 68 shaped to simulate an arrowhead. Identical directional indicator members 60 are used and positioned to slide in the opposite ends of the panel frame. However, the indicator member 60 on the right side of the unit is in an inverted position from that shown in FIGURE 5.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the directional indicator member 60 is positioned forwardly of the sign panel 44 with the ange 64 engaging the vertical end 45 of the sign panel. As shown in FIGURE 5, the transversely extending slots 66 would be above the cutout arrowhead 68, however, when the directional indicator member 60 is on the right side of the sign panel 44 it is in inverted position to the position shown in FIGURE 5, with the lip or ange 64 engaging the right side of the sign panel. In the inverted position the arrowhead cutout 68 would be above the transverse slots 66.

The directional indicator member 60 is positioned to abut against the front of the sign panel 44 with the ange 64 engaging the vertical edge 45. The directional indicator member 60 is positioned behind the front end wall 48 of the sign panel frame 46. The directional indicator member would be in alinement with the opening 58 in the front end wall and would be slidable vertically to position the directional indicator portion 68 in either viewing or non-viewing position, as shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

A conventional metal clip 70, best shown in FIGURE 6, secures the sign panel 44 to the panel frame 46 and within the frame. The clip has a U-shaped portion 72 which engages the ilange 52 of the panel frame 46 and the lateral wings 73 of the clip are shaped to engage the sign panel 44 to hold the panel securely in position in the panel frame. Several of such clips are spaced and secured along the top and bottom of the panel frame. The clips 70 apply suicieut pressure against the sign panels in the direction of the panel frame so that the directional indicator members 60 are held under pressure between the sign panel 44 and the panel frame 46, thus providing a frictional contact which maintains the directional indicator member 60 in the position it is manually slid, until it is again manually moved.

As best seen in FIGURE 3, a pin 75 is provided on each of the side flanges 54 of the panel frame 46 adjacent the upper end thereof and said pins 75 engage the front vertical slideways 42 to permit pivoting of the panel frame away from the housing should it be desired to gain access to the interior of the housing through the front. The frame member will be maintained in its closed position by reason of the friction fit between the panel frame 46 and the housing within which it tits.

With the directional indicator member 60 interposed between the sign panel 44 and the inside of the panel frame 46, the directional indicator 60 is trapped, except for its sliding movement, to either of its two indicating positions. As shown on the left side of FIGURE 7, the indicator member 60 has been slid upwardly to its uppermost position, exposing the cutout arrowhead 68 through the opening 58 in the panel frame. The transverse slots 66 would be hidden behind the upper portion of the front end wall 48 of the frame. In this position the directional indicator points to the left as viewed. The indicator 60 on the opposite or right side of FIGURE 7 would be manually slid upwardly to its uppermost position, and r since this indicator member 60 is in inverted position the directional arrow 68 would be hidden behind the upper portion of the front end wall 48. The transverse slots 66 at the lower end would be visible through the frame opening 58. If desired, the transverse slots 66 may be eliminated and only the directional arrowhead 68 may be formed in the indicator member 60, since the transverse slots do not indicate any direction but are merely ornamental.

To position the indicator members as shown in FIG- URE 8, with the directional arrow 68 pointing to the right, both indicator members 60 are moved downwardly to their lowermost position and the indicators will be as shown. The directional indicator members 60 are identical, only when positioned in the sign unit one is in inverted position with respect to the other. Similarly, an

indicator member may have the directional arrow point in a vertical direction so that it could be used to indicate either an up or down direction, dependent upon its positioning with respect to the opening S8 of the panel frame. Also if desired, the directional indicator member 60 may have the arrowhead cutout 68 as shown in FIGURE 5 and in lieu of the transverse slots 66 may have another arrowhead cutout like 68 but pointing in the opposite direction. With this arrangement only one or the other of the arrowhead cutouts would be viewable at any time through the frame opening 58. With such an arrangement the sign unit could be made with the directional indicator member 60 on one side of the sign cutout and omitting it from the opposite side. This latter arrangement, however, is not the preferred form.

The sign panel 44 is illuminated by reason of the light bulbs 32. Likewise, the illumination will pass through the arrowhead cutout 68 and the opening 58 at the panel frame so that the directional indication is clearly visible in the same manner as in the sign on the sign panel. The back plate 36 is provided with spaced openings, not shown, through which fastening members extend for securing the sign unit to a supporting wall or the like.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sign unit comprising a housing, a panel frame at the front thereof, a sign panel positioned within said panel frame, said panel frame having an opening for viewing adjacent each of the opposite front ends thereof, a directional indicator member positioned adjacent each of the panel frame openings and each slideably positioned relative to its respective opening, said directional indicator members having means for supporting same for sliding movement between a concealed position and a viewing position through said panel frame opening so that the directional indicator will indicate a direction only when said directional indicator is in said viewing position, said directional indicator members being identical but positioned one in inverse position to the other.

2. A sign unit as defined in claim 1 in which the directional indicator members are vertically slideable.

3. A sign unit as dened in claim 1 in which the directional indicator member has an arrowhead-shaped opening and in which illuminating means are positioned rearwardly of the sign panel to illuminate the sign panel and the arrowhead-shaped opening.

4. A sign unit as dened in claim 1 in which the arrowhead-shaped opening of the directional indicator member is positioned relative to the panel frame opening to be in either viewable or non-viewable position.

, References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,570,884 1/1926 Ford 40-62 1,847,775 3/1932 Manfre 40--132 2,312,074 2/1943 Campbell 40--6'2 X 3,402,494 9/1968 Gray 40-130 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner R. CARTER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 40--61 

